Downsizing: What to Keep and What to Get Rid Of

There are plenty of reasons to downsize your possessions, whether it’s because you’re moving into a smaller home, cleaning out anything you don’t need anymore, or just trying to organize your home. No matter the reason, downsizing can often be a confusing and stressful task. What should you keep, and what should you move on without? What are the most effective ways to declutter? In this blog, we’ll go through our favourite tips for downsizing your possessions before a move.

How to Make Downsizing Less Time-Consuming

Many homeowners put off downsizing to the last minute and end up with multiple spaces in their home being used for storage for items they don’t need. Decluttering doesn’t have to be a major project, though; there’s plenty of ways to make your downsizing experience quicker and easier.

Of course, to avoid hours of decluttering in the first place, you can be a bit more mindful about what you buy. That doesn’t mean you can’t indulge yourself at all! But take a good, objective look at what you’re buying and decide if you really want or need it. That trinket you found might be cute, but will it just end up collecting dust on a shelf somewhere? Is it going to last, or break? How many times will you use it or look at it?

As for items you already have, the one-year rule is great for immediately removing possessions you have no use for. Have you used it in the last year? If not, it’s unlikely you’ll need to use it again.

Tips for Downsizing Your Possessions

Start Downsizing Well in Advance

If you’re a senior downsizing to a smaller home or you’re under a time limit, you’ll want to get downsizing done at least 90 days before the big move. Besides relieving some of the stress of a quick move, decluttering early will also help you root out everything you don’t need, particularly furniture. Moving large items can be costly, and you don’t want to pay professional movers in Edmonton to move items you’ll be donating or throwing away later. 

Plus, downsizing early gives you a chance to sell whatever items you can beforehand. Selling allows you to get these possessions out as soon as possible – plus, you’ll get some extra cash out of it to put toward the cost of moving in Edmonton!

Sort Your Belongings Properly

When sorting all of your possessions, they should be separated into four distinct piles: keep, sell, donate, and trash. Whatever you do, don’t make a ‘maybe’ pile – that pile will end up massive and you’ll be no closer than when you started. Planning a garage sale is a good way to get the ‘sell’ pile out of the way, or you could sell online through sites like Kijiji or Facebook Marketplace. You’ll probably end up making a few separate trips to the dump and donation centers, so be prepared for that.

Declutter Systematically

Start with areas of the house you use the least, and then work your way upwards. Chances are, the items you’ll have trouble parting with aren’t in the laundry room or spare room. It will likely take longer for you to declutter rooms like your bedroom or kitchen, so plan in advance for that and set up a schedule to keep yourself on track.

Prioritize Multipurpose Furniture

There are many types of furniture out there that can be multifunctional, whether it’s a fold-out couch or a coffee table with some extra storage space. When you’re downsizing to a smaller home, you want to conserve as much space as possible, so take advantage of that multipurpose furniture, and say goodbye to the furniture that just takes up extra space.

Get an Expert Moving Company in Edmonton

When in doubt, professionals can help with moving in Edmonton. Eager Beaver offers expert moving and packing services to take the stress of moving off your shoulders, so you can focus on other tasks before the big move. Contact us to discuss how we can make your moving process easier.